BUILDING GREEN? WATCH OUT FOR THOSE SNEAKY VOCS
Yeah, ventilation is one of those things people forget about when they switch to “natural” materials. I’ve seen folks go all-in on clay or lime, thinking they’re totally safe, but if you don’t air things out, you can still get that musty, damp vibe. Had a project last year where we used a lime plaster—looked great, but the client didn’t keep windows open during curing. Ended up with a lingering earthy smell for weeks.
Casein paints are interesting. I’ve tried them a couple times—mixing’s a hassle, and you really have to use them up fast. But for people sensitive to chemicals, they’re about as good as it gets. Still, I haven’t found anything that’s truly zero odor, either. Even “natural” stuff has its quirks. At the end of the day, I’d rather deal with a little earthy smell than off-gassing from synthetics. Just wish the prep wasn’t such a pain...
At the end of the day, I’d rather deal with a little earthy smell than off-gassing from synthetics. Just wish the prep wasn’t such a pain...
Totally get that. I once did a hempcrete wall for a friend’s tiny house—looked awesome, but man, the curing process was brutal. Even with fans running, it took forever for that “wet hay” smell to fade. Still, I’ll take that over headaches from VOCs any day. Prep is a headache, but at least you know what you’re dealing with.
Even with fans running, it took forever for that “wet hay” smell to fade. Still, I’ll take that over headaches from VOCs any day.
Yeah, the “barnyard chic” phase is real. I’ve done a couple rammed earth projects and you get a similar thing—earthy, damp, and you’re constantly second-guessing if it’s supposed to smell like that. But I’m with you, the VOC headaches are no joke. At least with natural materials, you know what’s in the air...even if it’s just hay.
At least with natural materials, you know what’s in the air...even if it’s just hay.
I get the appeal of knowing what you’re breathing, but honestly, some of those “natural” smells linger way longer than I’d like. Had a straw bale wall that reeked for months—almost made me miss the new paint smell. Not sure it’s always a clear win.
Totally get what you mean about the lingering “natural” smells—straw bale can be especially stubborn. Here’s what’s worked for me: 1) let the bales dry out completely before installation, 2) use lime or clay plasters to seal in odors, and 3) ventilate like crazy for the first few months. Sometimes those earthy scents mellow out and actually become kind of homey, but yeah, it’s not always instant. I’d still take that over mystery chemicals, but it’s definitely a tradeoff.
